


Who's afraid of the bad ass wolf?

by lola381pce



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alpha Females, Alpha Males, BAMF Phil Coulson, Canon-Typical Violence, Consensual Sex, Coulson sings...and it ain't pretty, Derogatory Language, Dominance, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Major character death...maybe. Your choice., Minor Violence, Rough Sex, Spoilers for Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Episode 20 'Nothing Personal', Spoilers for The Usual Suspects movie (Chapter 5)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-16
Updated: 2014-05-13
Packaged: 2018-01-15 19:40:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1316914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lola381pce/pseuds/lola381pce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ward banged the back of his head on the floor several times before he got up and returned to his room ashamed to have been added to a very long list of people who had underestimated Philip J Coulson.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Who's afraid of the bad ass wolf?

**Author's Note:**

> Although wolf pack dynamics are in use there are no werewolf or any other were changes in this work.
> 
> Thanks for reading; hope you enjoy and your comments are welcome as always.

Ward stood at May's hotel room door with his hand raised to knock then paused thinking he heard voices. He shook his head; probably the TV. He knocked. A few moments later it was opened…by Coulson…in a towel…a bath towel…and nothing but a bath towel…so help him god!

Ward blinked, shocked. Coulson stared, amused.

“Can I help you Agent Ward?”

“Eh yes…well no.”

“So which would it be?”

“Eh no, sir.  I must have…”

“… the wrong room?” Coulson finished and moved slightly to the side to reveal May, also wearing a towel and, like Coulson, she was still wet from the shower.

Ward’s mouth fell open. He looked down at the Senior Agent, his boss, then back to May, his lover (okay, ex-lover) who rolled her eyes and walked back to the bathroom letting them get on with their dick measuring contest. Unfortunately for Ward his eyes dropped to Coulson's chest and the jagged scar that ran through the hair. He'd heard about it but had never seen it before, Coulson normally kept it well hidden. He couldn't imagine the pain the sceptre must have caused to leave such a huge and pronounced ridge on his skin. 

Instead of covering it like he once would have, Coulson seemed to puff up showing it more fully. He continued to stare at Ward but the amusement gone from his eyes; they were now blazing and feral.

Ward's eyes finally returned to Coulson's and finding it difficult to hold his gaze he abruptly broke eye contact.

“I’ll come back later,” he said and started to turn away.

“I don’t think so.”

Ward turned back to Coulson and narrowed his eyes. “I’m sorry?”

“Unless May specifically requests it, you won’t come back later…or any other time.”

Ward snorted. He was in peak condition with several inches in height and several more pounds in weight on him. Coulson was nearly 20 years older, hadn’t been active in the field for some time and a few months ago couldn’t remember how to strip a pistol. He sneered; his expression and scent radiating a challenge to the older man which he picked up on immediately.

“Are you sure you could take me?” Coulson asked calmly.

Before Ward had even registered any movement let alone a hand on this throat, he was looking at ceiling unable to breathe, the air from his lungs having whooshed out as he was slammed onto the floor on his back. The next thing he knew, he’d been flipped over onto his front with Coulson’s hand now on his neck holding him down while straddling him, pushing his hard dick against Ward’s ass in a perfect display of alpha male dominance.

Maybe one day, if he could improve his people skills and not make assumptions about individuals, Ward could be an alpha in charge of his own team but it would not be this day and it would not be this team. Coulson was alpha of 6-1-6 and made sure Ward knew it.

He leaned over and growled in his ear, “Still think you could take me?”

Coulson held him in place for another few beats then stood up releasing Ward from his grip. Ward rolled over onto his back, subconsciously raising his right arm bending it at the elbow and wrist, exposing his stomach. He was also unable to help the tiny drip of piss that leaked as he submitted to the senior agent’s suddenly imposing authority.

Coulson stared at him and the younger man dropped his eyes immediately then slowly returned his gaze on his general direction without looking directly at him. Coulson pulled off his towel baring his rigid cock in a final show of dominance then turned his back for a few seconds showing off the other massive scar before entering the room gently closing the door behind him. There was no anger in any of the gestures but who controlled the power was now unmistakeable even to Ward. 

After a respectful period of time during which Ward banged the back of his head on the floor several times, he got up and returned to his room ashamed to have been added to a very long list of people who had underestimated Philip J Coulson. It was a mistake he wouldn’t be quick to make again.

***

Coulson on the other hand was looking at May with blown pupils and an impressive erection. Even though they’d had shower sex together not more than forty minutes ago, having literally thrown off the challenge to his leadership by Ward, he found he was ready for her once again. May took in his obvious desire for round three (okay, so there may have been bed sex before the shower sex) and smiled at him as she dropped her own towel more than happy to indulge the victor his spoils.

“So, there’s life in the old wolf yet?” she asked pulling him in to a deep kiss which he returned with a ferocity and intensity that caused a fire in her stomach and made her instantly wet. She was referring to his reaction to Ward at the door knowing full well 'the old wolf' had plenty life left elsewhere as was evidenced by his firm cock nudging against her stomach...again. 

“Was there any doubt?” he growled as they broke for air.  He turned May around curling an arm possessively around her pulling her towards him as he nipped at her neck.  

“For a while perhaps.” He paused until she spoke again. “But not recently, not since you stopped being afraid of your scar and became sure of yourself again.”

He brushed his lips over the curve of her neck and sucked the skin along the clavicle grazing her with his teeth, making sure he left his mark on her. She hummed as his other hand cupped between her legs. Like Coulson, May’s alpha status had been triggered by the confrontation and where he was hard, she was wet, slick coating her opening and labia. She moaned as he probed her with his fingers, thumb pressing down on her clit almost making her come there and then.

She could feel him tremble against her and knew he was holding himself back. The defeat of Ward had released the most primal of urges in him but even in this state he didn’t want to hurt her. She slipped her hand behind her feeling his hard cock twitch beneath her fingers and hearing him groan. She released it and touching a rivulet of pre-come she circled her thumb over his tip sending shivers through him. She ran her hand smoothly over his length from root to tip feeling his cock throb with pleasure.  She didn’t want him to control himself any longer; she wanted him inside her, making her scream out his name. She wanted to scratch bloody trails down his back as he pounded into her.

“Now, Coulson. Fuck me right now,” her voice raw and hoarse.

With a growl he lifted her and dropped her onto the bed. He joined her and she wrapped her legs round his waist. He lifted her higher holding her legs against his shoulder and sank his cock into her thrusting powerfully over and over again making her gasp. She gripped the bed sheets as he built up a rhythm harder and faster until finally she cried out as the orgasm tore through her.  Seconds later Coulson roared and jerked as he emptied himself into her. There was no finesse, no gentleness just raw energy and an intensity that surprised them both. He collapsed beside her on the bed chest heaving sweat running down his body.

“Jeezus Coulson!” she panted completely wrecked.

“Fuck!” he agreed silently praying there wouldn't be an emergency in the next twenty minutes, dying while being incapacitated due to post-sex recovery would be kind of embarrassing to his memory not to mention Ward getting the last laugh.  


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ward bent over with his elbows on his knees trying to get some air back in his lungs. Fuck, fuck, fuck! The bastard had played him and he’d fallen for it like a twat yet again.

For the record running for Ward was a loath/hate relationship; he loathed it until he got through the pain barrier and found a rhythm, generally a chicken-dancing-with-two-left-feet kind of rhythm, and then it dropped down to the hate category. However he recognised it was as important as combat training (which he enjoyed) and weapons training (which he really enjoyed). Being able to cover a short distance quickly or a long distance steadily could be the difference between life and death, it had saved him a couple of times so he knew he had to keep it up.

He squinted as he saw a figure in the distance…Coulson. He didn’t think he’d still be running, he was sure he saw him at the ramp ten or fifteen minutes before he left himself. He picked up his pace and headed after the senior agent.

Coulson loved running – always had done; in high school, in the army and while working at S.H.I.E.L.D. He’d always try to run at least five miles every day whenever he could come rain, snow or sunshine. He enjoyed the freedom, he even enjoyed the initial burn in his lungs and muscles but once those had passed and he found an effortless rhythm he could run for miles using the time to clear his head, work out strategies and generally think shit up. 

He was halfway through his second lap around the field and woods where the Bus was parked up so he’d done around five miles… another two and he’d be back at the plane ready to start his day. He felt pretty good, tired but good and his chest was barely hurting.  Sometimes the scar would ache but not today.

He heard footsteps behind him and going by the lope it was Ward.

“Ward,” he acknowledged without turning round.

The agent bristled when Coulson said his name without checking to see who it was. It was irrational but it bugged him that he was right. It’s not that he thought he could sneak up behind his boss but he had hoped he wouldn’t know it was him. Although he grudgingly admitted out of a team of six with Coulson being one, he supposed in all likelihood it would be either him or May and there would be obvious differences between their running styles. Plus he wasn’t even sure if Fitz or Simmons _could_ actually run, Fitz maybe if he was chasing a prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella sandwich with a hint of homemade pesto aioli. Ward snorted out a laugh. Then he annoyed himself again by dwelling on the fact that Coulson seemed to get things immediately whereas he tended mull stuff over. Another irrational feeling…what was wrong with him?

“Morning, sir. I didn’t think you’d still be out,” he said as he fell into step along with Coulson.

“Just taking my time, enjoying the morning.” Coulson sounded a little winded and his feet looked like they were dragging. Ward felt an absurd pang of satisfaction at the thought he might be tired already, by his reckoning he’d only run a mile and a half.

“I’ll leave you to it then, sir.”

“Nah, that’s okay. I’m sure I can keep up.”

Uh-huh Ward thought.

“Sure ,” he said out loud and out of sheer badness he stepped up his pace. Coulson kept up but Ward was sure he could hear his breathing getting heavier. Be nice to get a little revenge after what happened at the hotel a few weeks back.

After another few minutes he picked up his pace again. They weren’t running flat out but it was definitely far quicker than Ward would normally run. He could feel his legs starting to burn and he was developing a slight stitch in his side but he ran on determined to keep going after Coulson fell by the wayside which would probably be any second; if he was beginning to feel it then Coulson definitely must be.

“Sorry what?” he panted realising Coulson had asked him a question.

“I asked if you were okay?” he repeated.

“Yeah,” he wheezed frowning not quite understanding why he sounded exhausted while Coulson now looked and sounded like he’s just left the bus.

“Good, how about we kick it up a notch?” and increased the pace again.

The fuck? Ward’s legs were beginning to feel like jelly and the pain in his side was starting to hurt like a bitch. Coulson was pulling ahead. He looked over his shoulder at the younger agent.

”We going too fast, Agent Ward? I can dial it back down if you’d rather.”

They were now in sight of the plane but Ward was fairly sure he was about to throw up which he didn’t want to do in front of the rest of the team and certainly not in front of Coulson.

“Nah, s’okay… go on ahead… might have pulled a muscle,” he puffed and slowed down to a stop feigning a limp.

“Okay.  See you back at the Bus,” replied Coulson and took off at a fair clip with an evil grin on his face.

Ward bent over with his elbows on his knees trying to get some air back in his lungs. Fuck, fuck, fuck! The bastard had played him and he’d fallen for it like a twat yet again. He kicked the nearest tree and muttered fuck again then set off back to the plane.

In actual fact Coulson was starting to get a bit winded but bollocks if he was going to let Ward see it. He ran up the ramp acknowledging Fitz and Simmons who waved from the lab with a nod, up the spiral staircase, said hi to Skye in the rec area as he jogged past and up the stairway to his office / room then promptly dropped like a tonne of bricks, albeit a very quiet tonne of bricks. His chest was heaving and his lungs felt like they were on fire not to mention he was probably staining the carpet with the sweat that was pouring from him.  Great! Fury would be pissed if he saw that!

There was a knock on the door.

Coulson took a deep breath and let out a calm and controlled, “Who is it?”

The door opened, it was May.

He went back to sucking all the oxygen in the room into his lungs and letting it out in a desperate wheeze as he tried not to die on the carpet.

“Asshole!” she muttered throwing at towel at him. “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Liar. Do I need to get the defibrillator from the lab?”

He flipped her off making her snort out a laugh.

“Was it worth it?”

“Ward?”

“Collapsed on the ramp.”

“Was worth it.”

She rolled her eyes and dropped a bottle of water on his stomach smirking as he groaned when it hit him and bounced off.

“Asshole!” she repeated as she closed the door behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The incident with the paperclip...

Ward knocked on Coulson’s door on the command deck.

“Come in”

Coulson was at his desk reading over some files fiddling with a paperclip.

Ward’s eyes made contact with the small metal stationery item and opened wide.

“It can wait, sir” he said and quickly reversed out closing the door behind him.

Coulson looked bemused then his eyes dropped to his hands and he huffed out a laugh. Thank heavens for SHIELD Academy rumours and legends; sometimes it was all that was needed to scare the crap out of people.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Eh Agent May?”
> 
> “Yes?”
> 
> “AC and Ward are fighting.”
> 
> “It’s called sparring Skye. Saying “fighting” is like saying “bang” when you fire a gun.” 
> 
> “No, I mean I think they’re actually fighting.”
> 
> “Explain” 
> 
> “There seems to be an awful lot of blood for sparring.”

Agent Coulson was working out in the gym in the cargo bay on board the Bus, not something he usually did during the day; he preferred to wait until the quiet of night time when most of the others were in bed. However today he could be found in his running gear knocking the stuffing out of the punch bag most likely prompted by the phone call he’d had with Agent Hand. She really knew how to rub him up the wrong way (no pun intended). He felt someone standing behind him and although there was an undercurrent of threat it wasn’t enough to make him take a defensive stance.

“Ward,” he acknowledged without turning round.

“One day you’ll have to tell me how you do that.”

Coulson smiled to himself but said nothing striking the bag a few more times.

“Do you want me to hold it?”

“Sure.”

As he faced Coulson Ward took a deep breath and broached a subject that had been eating away at him for a while.

“I wanted to ask you something. The other day when we went into town…”

Ward was referring to the afternoon they’d gone for supplies and Coulson had been driving the SUV. It was a new car, Ward having written the last one off, and Coulson was putting it through its paces. Ward had honestly thought on several occasions he was quite possibly going to die as Coulson weaved in and out of traffic missing head on collisions by the barest fraction including the unforgettable ‘Lets-play-chicken-with-a-Hummer’ moment. The highlight though, the part that actually made ward lose his lunch (literally with him puking out the window), was when Coulson thought it would be a good idea to take the back roads and ended up jumping the SUV over a creek where the bridge was partially broken; not quite to the extent of the scene in ‘Man with the Golden Gun’ but not far off. He shuddered at the thought.

Coulson waited jabbing the bag in a left, left, right combination.

“May and I spoke when I was…cleaning the car.” (i.e. getting rid of the puke).

Left, left, right. Left, left, right.

“She seemed to think you were trying to teach me something.”

Left, left, right. Swap. Right, right, left.

“May’s perceptive that like that.” Right, right, left. Right, right, left.

“I didn’t know that’s what you were doing. I thought you were just trying to freak me out.”

“I guess you’re not as perceptive as May.” Left, left, right, elbow.

“Why didn’t you just tell me? Why let me think the worst?”

Left, left, right, elbow.

“You could have killed us.”

Coulson straightened and looked at Ward, his eyebrow raised.

“You really think that?”

Ward paused. Deep down he didn’t but at the time during the Coulson verses Hummer moment he thought it could be a possibility.

“I think if I’d had more information, if you’d told me what you were intending to do, I could have handled myself better.”

“Swap” said Coulson tapping the bag.

Ward used the same combination as Coulson but hard enough for the first volley to knock the senior agent back a step had he not been holding the bag firmly. Once again Ward was testing Coulson pushing him to see how far he would get. The next series of punches didn’t move him any either however he was now wary that there was something other than conversation on Ward’s mind.

“Sometimes we don’t have all the information to hand. We have to act on instinct. Your first instinct is that I was trying to kill you just to make a point. Kind of extreme, even for me.”

“Us. I said you could have killed us.” He was getting angry believing Coulson wasn’t taking his opinion seriously enough.

“I have no intention of killing myself just to make a point with you.”

“So you wouldn’t care if you killed me,” he barked.

Coulson frowned.

“Ward, what’s really going on?” he asked stepping out from behind the punch bag which was the wrong thing to do. Having made himself an open target Ward went for it and threw a right hook at Coulson. He leaned back just out of Ward’s reach while crossing his hands in front of his face, palms out directing Ward’s forearm away.

FitzSimmons and Skye were heading down to the lab from the rec area and were on the catwalk looking down into the cargo bay where the two men were exchanging blows.  They had missed the run up to the punch and didn’t, at that moment, think anything untoward was going on.

“Ooh Coulson and Ward are sparing,” breathed Jemma. “I’ve never seen them go head to head before.”

“This should be good,” said Fitz folding his arms across his chest.

Skye moved in beside them as they watched the match unfold. “Who do you thinks going to win?”

Together FitzSimmons said, “Coulson.”

“Really? Coz he looks like he’s on the defensive to me.”

She was right. Ward was powering into Coulson with punches, elbows, knees and kicks. So far he was managing to avoid them by blocking, leaning just out of reach or using Ward’s momentum against him.

“Care to wager?”

“I’ll bet you a month of dishwashing and a monkey.”

“I don’t have a monkey,” protested Skye.

“Yeah but you know people. They can get you one.”

“Fitz enough with the monkey.  Ouch!” exclaimed Jemma.

All three of them flinched as Ward aimed a kick for Coulson’s head. He ducked down under it and grabbed Ward’s ankle holding the leg up. At the same time he drew back his fist releasing it into a blow to Ward’s inner thigh. Normally it would have been a shot to the testicles or knee but that would have been a permanent injury to Ward which Coulson wasn’t intending. It hurt like a bitch though causing him to curse and limp away.

Coulson tried to talk to Ward again however he was having none of it, his blood was up. Coulson wasn’t afraid but he was concerned at the ferocity with which the younger man was attacking him. He had to be careful not to let things get too far, the last thing he wanted was for Ward to lose control and release the Berserker within.

“Eh, is it just me or does this look like it’s getting serious?” asked Fitz asked as Ward took another swing at Coulson’s head. Once again he managed to dodge it and Ward’s fist made contact with the bulkhead.  He swore and shook his hand; fortunately it was a fairly wild swing with no real force so he didn’t appear to have broken anything.

After a few more heated minutes, Ward finally caught Coulson with a jab to the eye opening a cut on the cheekbone. Coulson’s demeanour immediately changed. Instead of being defensive and backing off making Ward reach for him, he raised his fists to either side of his face, elbows tucked into his sides, shoulders down and body forward. Up until now he’d been happy enough to keep protecting himself letting Ward get whatever was bugging him out of his system. However now that he’d drawn blood there would be no quarter given; from this point on Coulson was fully in the fight.  He moved in on an attack forcing Ward back with a series of blows to his head, arms and body. His range wasn’t as long as Ward’s but he was more compact and certainly more powerful than he looked and could get under the taller man’s reach inflicting some serious damage to his ribs and arms. He also managed to get an upper cut to Ward’s mouth splitting his lip.

The three of them looked at each other sensing things had changed.

Skye flicked on the comms to the cockpit.

“Eh Agent May?”

“Yes?”

“AC and Ward are fighting.”

“It’s called sparring Skye. Saying “fighting” is like saying “bang” when you fire a gun.”

“No, I mean I think they’re actually fighting.”

“Explain”         

“There seems to be an awful lot of blood for sparring. Agent May?”

A few moments later May appeared at the on the catwalk and watched the two men circling each other looking for an opening.

“Aren’t you going to stop them?” Fitz asked his voice worried.

May continued to watch without responding to the engineer.

“Agent May, it’s looking terribly serious. Shouldn’t you…?” Jemma stopped short as May gave her a look that made her snap her mouth shut.

Skye didn’t even bother trying to speak but decided to head down to stop things herself. May caught her by the arm before she got two steps.

“Leave them. They have to finish this.”

Ward dropped his eyes down to Coulson’s chest for a split second. If he struck a serious enough blow there he knew he could take Coulson out. Ward could see he was tiring. Coulson’s hands which had been guarding his face were getting lower; his arms which had been tight to his ribs were getting looser. If he waited he’d get the opportunity. For a moment Coulson let down his guard opening his chest up. Ward charged at him thinking about nothing else. The blow caught him under the jaw, throwing him off balance and into the punch bag dazing him. He’d been so focussed on taking Coulson out he hadn’t even seen him move.

Coulson swept Ward’s feet from beneath him dropping him to the ground, his head clattered off the floor. He tried to get back up again but his body wouldn’t let him so he lay on his back panting. Coulson waited a couple of beats just in case but when it was clear Ward wasn’t going to stand he dropped to his knees then turned and fell onto his back also breathing heavily.

“Better?” he asked.

“I could have…”

“Oh fuck off!”

Ward closed his mouth with a snap. It was very rare to hear Coulson swear.

“Start thinking with your brain and not your testosterone.”

“Most people would have said dick.”

“Your dick’s not that smart”

Ward choked out a laugh and then groaned the impact of Coulson’s blows to his ribs was becoming apparent with the ache when he moved not to mention the pull from his split lip and the throbbing of his jaw which he touched gingerly.

Coulson snorted then he too winced at some of the hits Ward managed to land especially his cheekbone. He knew other challenges from Ward were a certainty but for now the old wolf was still in control and he wasn’t gong to be surrender it any time soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure everyone's seen the famous corkscrew bridge jump from 'the Bond The Man with the Golden Gun' but just in case have a look on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzCIbhLUUA0.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ward shrugged and downed his drink in one. If Coulson was looking for a drinking competition he was up for it. Coulson’s mistake was buying him vodka. He could drink it all night and feel nothing. Tonight was the night the old wolf would be toppled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS for the last minute of ‘The Usual Suspects’ the movie; if you don’t know the ending (really?), DO NOT read the second last paragraph of this chapter.

Fitz let out a huge yawn which was picked up by Skye and then Jemma.

“Fitz!” they yelled at him in unison.

Now that the yawny-monster had been released the three of them couldn’t stop. May looked at Coulson who glanced at Grant watching them with a smile then barely nodded at May. She understood.

“Come on lightweights,” she told them.

“Noooo! I wanna stay!” whined Skye. Honestly she was tired and pretty drunk and all she really wanted was her bed but she didn’t want to miss out on what the big boys were doing either.

“C’mon.” Jemma pulled her hand tugging her off the seat.

Like a spoiled child she slid out of the booth they were in being pushed along by Fitz and just stopped short of stomping a foot when she finally stood up.

Both Coulson and Ward snorted out a laugh at her antics. May just rolled her eyes knowing she’d either have to put up with her whining all the way back to the Bus or have to carry her to her bunk if she fell asleep in the car. Either way… wonderful. She narrowed her eyes at Phil, the message clear; you owe me.

“Night-night, sir. Night-night, Grant.” Jemma said in a sing-sing voice giving them both a kiss on the cheek.

They smiled at her wishing her goodnight and to sleep well.

Fitz followed Skye out the booth, then forgetting to engage his legs, promptly fell off the seat in a heap on the floor giggling.

Jemma looked down at him.  “Poor Fitz! Never could hold his drink terribly well; always felt he was letting down the Scottish nation at the Academy…although there was that one time…” and she drifted off.

Coulson stood, scooped Fitz up and flung him over his shoulder to take him out to the SUV.

“Throw up on my suit and it’s coming out of your salary,” he warned.

“S’okay, Phil, might not hold a lot but once it’s in it’s there for good…well till I pee.”

“Too much info, Fitz” Coulson told him.

“Hey your arse looks quite good from up here…does it usually look like that?” he asked lifting his jacket tail and patting it as he bobbed up and down while Coulson moved through the bar.

“I’m going to remind you of this conversation in the morning and please leave my ‘arse’ alone.”

“You two be okay getting back?” May asked Ward both of them watching Coulson wrangle FitzSimmons to the exit his hand resting gently on her head directing her safely between the tables.

“Yeah. We’ll give the local office a shout to pick up the car in the morning and make our own way back.”

“Okay. Don’t get into any fights. I’m not coming into town to bail you out. No Skye, we’re going back to the Bus,” as Skye tried to get back into the booth beside Ward.

“Oh but Maaaaay!”

“Out. Make sure Coulson doesn’t drink rum.” She instructed him as she left dragging Skye away.

Ward frowned wondering what that meant.

Coulson returned a few minutes later with a couple of glasses, vodka for Ward, rum for him.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to drink that?” Oops!

Coulson stared at him for a moment then threw the drink back.

“Really? Yeah, well May’s not my mother and she’s not here right now. You rationing yourself?”

Ward shrugged and downed his drink in one. If Coulson was looking for a drinking competition he was up for it. Coulson’s mistake was buying him vodka. He could drink it all night and feel nothing. Tonight was the night the old wolf would be toppled.

“Another?” asked Ward. Coulson nodded.

When he returned Ward was carrying two empty glasses and two full bottles, one of rum and one of vodka. Coulson’s mouth turned up in a smirk.

“Are you trying to seduce me, Agent Ward?”

“In your dreams, Senior Agent Coulson. Bar was getting busy.”

They cracked open their bottles and poured a shot each. Coulson tipped his glass in a salute and downed it again.  Ward did the same. 

“So old man…which one are you fucking? The gook or the pretty boy?”

Gook? Seriously? Coulson looked up and make a quick assessment of the man who spoke. He was dressed in a business suit like Coulson but that’s where the similarity ended; he was bigger…a lot bigger, about the same age as Ward and didn’t have a clue what he’d just walked into. Zero threat was the finding of his assessment other than being a Big-mouth-wanker-in-a-suit. Ward turned in his seat his body tensing. Coulson on the other hand was calm and relaxed. He tapped the table twice and Ward forced himself to chill.

“What make you think I’m not fucking them both?”

The man’s two friends stifled their laughter.

“You motherfucker!”

“Nope. I believe we just established I’m fucking the gook and the pretty boy. Motherfucking is probably more your type of thing.”

“Cocksucker!”

“Wrong again, that’s pretty boy. ‘Scuse me. I’m going for a piss.” He said to Ward who was trying not to laugh.

Big-mouth-wanker-in-a-suit watched Coulson leave then turned to Ward.

“Your friend’s got a big mouth.”

“Yeah. I’m lucky that way” and turned back to his drink.

Big-mouth-wanker-suit-in-a-suit curled his lip at Ward then headed back to his friends signalling them towards the restroom.

Ward poured another, finished it then followed everyone to the restroom. He opened the door to find three guys piled up behind it and on the floor by a urinal with Coulson having his piss.

“Oh. I came to see if you needed help.”

“No thanks. It’s in hand” And huffed out a laugh. Ward rolled his eyes. Actually, now that he was here…

The restroom wasn’t that big and with Coulson having put the urinals nearest the door out of action with the three bodies, they ended up standing side by side. In his defence Ward tried not to…he really tried… but in the end he couldn’t help himself. Ignoring urinal etiquette he looked over at Coulson out the corner of his eye.

“Same size as it’s always been,” Coulson quipped staring straight ahead.

Busted! “Fuck! I wasn’t even...” he trailed off, his face scarlet. “Besides I’ve seen it before.”

“Uh-huh, thought maybe you were so impressed the first time…”

“Yup, well…not so much. I’ll see you back at the booth.” And with that he finished, washed his hands and left with Coulson chuckling in the background. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! he cursed to himself on the way back to the bar.

He’d poured them both a couple of drinks and as Coulson slipped into the booth Ward asked, “Do you think they’ll be waiting outside?”

“Yup.”

“Should we just leave?”

“Nope. We came to enjoy a drink and a drink we’re going to enjoy.”

Ward shrugged and poured himself another as did Coulson and the two of them sat shooting the breeze. By the time they were down to one or two glasses left in the bottle Coulson’s tie was undone, the top two buttons of this shirt were open and his jacket was on the seat beside him, albeit neatly folded, and there was a slight slurring to his words as he talked.

Ward was still fairly intact (no jacket, tie or buttons to fiddle with) but he had slid down the seat a bit. Ward was by no means a people person (poop n daggers came to mind) but Coulson was actually pretty good company and the vodka was slowly working its charms. He looked at the glass through half closed eyes and smiled affectionately at it.  

Suddenly Coulson slapped the table. Ward just about shit himself and sprang to alert.

“Ward, time to get us some transportation home. Le’s go.”

Coulson finished off the remainder of the rum, pulled on his jacket and headed to the door, weaving only slightly, followed by Ward to find Big-mouth-wanker-in-a-suit was indeed waiting outside with his original two buddies plus an additional four. Coulson ducked as a baseball bat flew at his head. Fortunately Ward was a couple of steps behind so it missed him too.

Even having finished a bottle of spirits each, the two agents made short work of seven semi-drunk assholes armed with baseball bats and tyre irons leaving them with various injuries including two broken wrists, one broken jaw, seven cracked or broken ribs, two broken noses, several concussions and innumerable cuts and bruises between them before the whoop, whoop of a police truck’s siren and the red/blue flash of its lights caught their attention.

Ward and Coulson dropped the attackers they were holding and stood with their hands out to their sides, palms facing forward. Oh-Oh, May was going to be pissed.

“Gentlemen…”

Ward kept his mouth shut and let Coulson do the talking.  He knew his boss would handle this a hundred times better even if he was drunk.

“Good evening, Sherriff.”

“Would you mind stepping away from well…to be honest I’m not too sure what to call it.”

“Of course.” Coulson and Ward moved to the side away from the groaning forms.

A police cruiser had joined that of the Sherriff’s vehicle and the two officers exited and drew their guns levelling them at the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

The Sherriff viewed the tangled heap of bodies slowly shaking his head.

“Mind telling me what happened here?”

Coulson gave the Sherriff a sit-rep of the events which unfolded that evening culminating in the altercation he happened upon moments earlier. The concise language and delivery of his report got the Sherriff wondering.

Again taking in the situation Sherriff nodded. “And the incident in the restroom, that was just you?”

“That was just me.” Coulson agreed. Ward went to say something but Coulson raised an eyebrow silencing him. The Sherriff watched their interaction carefully.

“Jesse, Boyd – see these assholes to the cells or hospital whichever seems most reasonable.”

Oh-oh. May was going to be seriously pissed. Coulson looked at Ward and shrugged with a goofy grin on his face. Ward rolled his eyes.

Jesse and Boyd put the handguns away and pulled out their cuffs heading to Ward and Coulson.

“No… _those_ assholes,” he said pointing to the heap on the ground.

The officers looked at each other confused but did as the Sherriff told them.

“Much as I’m pissed at the paperwork you’ve given me, I appreciate you had to defend yourselves this evening and I’m sorry about that. I’d like to offer you a lift back to your “accommodation” so long as you don’t set fucking foot back here any time soon. How does that sound?”

“That sounds more than reasonable, Sherriff. Thank you.”

They headed to the truck and Coulson stumbled into Ward who righted him again.

“Oops!” he grinned.

Ward shook his head with a half smile.

“Son, maybe you better put your boss into the back. You can ride upfront with me.”

The Sherriff opened the door and Ward poured Coulson inside across the back seat. He didn’t bother getting him to sit up and put on his seat belt. Maybe, if they were lucky he’d fall asleep on the way back to the airfield.

“You got here pretty fast,” said Ward conversationally as they headed out of town.

“Not really, been sitting there a while. I was going to step in but you two looked like you had things under control. Maybe a little too under control if you catch my drift.  If your boss’s statement hadn’t tied in with what Jimmy the barkeep told me when he called it in a while back you’d be spending the night in the cells with that asshole Spencer and his cronies.”

Ward looked at the Sherriff ready to say something heated but was distracted by what could be described as caterwauling coming from the back seat.

“A singer in a smoky room; smell of wine and cheap perfume; for a smile they can share the night; it goes on and on and on and on.”

“Interesting man your boss, not quite what he appears on the surface. I’m guessing people tend to underestimate him some.”

“Strangers waiting; up and down the boulevard; their shadows searching in the night…”

“Yeah, he gets that a lot.”

The Sherriff braked hard to avoid a stray dog running across the road. There was a thump and a muffled groan from the back as Coulson fell into the space between the rear and front seats.

“M’okay.”

"Although sometimes I wonder," Ward muttered squeezing the bridge of this nose and praying for the journey to be over soon as the Sherriff sniggered beside him.

Twenty minutes later and with no further incidents they were at the airfield and the Sherriff unloaded his two passengers.  Coulson and Ward shook his hand, with Coulson and the Sherriff passing a look of acceptance/understanding that Ward didn’t see, and thanked him for the lift. The two agents assisted each other up the ramp to the sleep pods.

“G’night Ward.”

“Night, sir. Can you manage?”

Coulson waved him off leaving Ward to enter his pod. He stuck his head out to thank the senior agent for what had actually turned out to be a pretty good night even with the assholes at the bar and stared in disbelief for as Coulson headed for the staircase to the command deck he transformed from Roger ‘Verbal’  Kint into Keyser Söze; the drunken stagger adjusted back to his usual confident stride, his slouch straightened out into his customary military bearing and the inebriated chuckle fell silent although the gentle smile playing on his lips remained.

Ward sighed in a resigned kind of way as he finally began to understand he was never going to get the better of Philip J Coulson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to say Phil's caterwauling is to 'Don't stop believin'' by Journey.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In all the times Ward and May had been “together”, never had he heard May lose it like this, never seen her looked so wrecked, so completely fucked.

“Agent May, have you seen Agent Coulson,” asked Simmons as she pulled on her jacket, “only he was going to take us into town for supplies and a wander and I can’t seem to find him.”

“Lola’s gone,” Ward reported as he entered the rec area from the cargo bay stairway.

“Awww,” whined Skye.

May rolled her eyes and continued with her tai chi as though nothing had happened.

Ward smirked. “I’ll take you,” and grabbed the keys to the SUV.

“I’ll leave them in town and come back here,” he whispered to May as he past her.

She glared at him.

“Don’t bother. I’ll be busy.”

He frowned at her pursing his lips and followed the others, Fitz dancing and whooping as he patted both Simmons and Skye on their heads like an excited monkey. They flapped their hands at him trying to drive him off as they laughed.

Ward looked back at May when he reached the top of the stairs; she didn’t acknowledge that he was there.

***

Having completely ignored May’s instruction not to return he dropped the others in town and on some pretence he left them there telling them he’d be back in a couple of hours. He jogged up the stairs to the rec area bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet with a grin on his face until he heard screaming coming from the command centre: May! He tore across the room past the couch and the sleep pods, up the next set of stairs with his handgun drawn and pushed open the door to Phil’s office. He froze. In all honesty he didn’t know what he’d find but he sure as hell didn’t expect the sight that was before him.

May _was_ screaming but he could see now it had nothing to do with her being attacked at least not by any unknown assailants. She was naked on Coulson’s desk with her knees drawn up on either side of his body, her nails drawing blood from his shoulders as she gripped onto him. A trail of blood and sweat mingled as it ran down his back past that god awful scar and through the scratches where her nails had obviously raked down his skin earlier leaving abrasions.

Ward couldn’t tear his eyes away as Coulson thrust into her, his fingers digging into her thighs, his buttocks clenching as he pounded his cock into her over and over. She screamed again. Fuck knows what he was doing to her but in all the times Ward and May had been “together” (and in that moment he heard Coulson’s voice in his head “And if it’s really just sex, Ward, you should get more comfortable using the word”), _never_ had he heard May lose it like this, _never_ seen her looked so wrecked, so completely fucked.

May’s eyes opened and for a second she stared straight at him over Coulson’s shoulder. Then he must have hit that spot again as she threw her head back and screamed once more, louder and longer as she climaxed. Coulson cried out with her this time, his body trembling as a violent orgasm ripped through him, the muscles straining as he emptied into her.

Slowly, when the aftershocks had passed, Coulson pressed his forehead to hers then tenderly kissed the tip of her nose and her lips, softly licking his tongue into her mouth.  He moved his hands from her thighs along her hips and up her back making her shiver as he ran his fingers lightly over her skin.

May reciprocated, wrapping one arm around his shoulders the other cupping the back of his head and kissed him gently but deeply. She flicked her eyes to the doorway – Ward was gone and the door was closed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you don’t have people skills, if they don’t come naturally to you how do you get them? You watch someone who does have them…

Ward really wasn’t a people person, he admitted it himself. His mind returned to the day when was interviewed by Agent Hill for the team; the day he first met Coulson. He shuddered at the memory of Coulson reading aloud from his file:

_“Agent Hill did a very detailed assessment of your last three missions. Combat, top grades. Espionage, she gave you the highest marks since Romanoff. Under people skills she drew a... I think it's a little poop, with knives sticking out of it. That’s bad right?”_

Previously he wouldn’t have cared. He worked alone, he didn’t need people skills. But now he was part of a team. He was a Supervising Officer. Now people skills were pretty important.  So if you don’t have them, if they don’t come naturally how do you get them? The idea came to him when he saw Skye and Coulson sitting in the rec area. You watch someone who _does_ have them…

***

**Skye & Coulson**

Even though they were the only two on the couch, Skye and Coulson were sitting shoulder to shoulder, just touching. Coulson was reviewing paperwork and Skye was doing something with a StarkPad. As usual she was keeping up a stream of chatter with Coulson listening (or perhaps ignoring her, Ward wasn’t sure) but every so often he would smirk or nod or murmur a comment at something she said. They seemed to be at ease with each other, the banter was gentle and not forced. She nudged him with her shoulder and he stopped what he was doing taking the Stark Pad from her. He frowned at the screen and tipped his head to the side slightly thinking. Then a few moments later the tablet whistled and cheered. He handed it back to her.

“What? How did you do that? I’ve been trying to pass that level for two hours. You look at it for two seconds and kick its ass. Seriously, AC, what did you do?”

“Sorry Skye, that’s classified” he deadpanned.

She nudged his shoulder again and grinned at him, he nudged her back with a smile that creased the corners of his eyes before picking up his paperwork again. For a while they sat quietly together getting on with their respective tasks.

**Skye & Ward**

Skye was sitting on the couch concentrating on her StarkPad. Ward, book in hand, sat down beside her almost in her lap. She paused play and looked up at him. He smiled at her.

“Whatcha doing?” he asked.

“Candy Crush Saga. Why?”

“Do you need a hand?”

She frowned.

“Do you even know what Candy Crush Saga is?”

Ward raised an eyebrow and thought about it. Nope. Not a clue.

“We-e-e-ll no.”

“Are you asking as my SO?”

“No.”

“Then with all due respect fuck off! I have been playing this for 63 hours and I’m just about to reach level 349, if I run out of moves before I make it there because I lost concentration I will hurt you. And get the fuck off my knee.”

Ward leapt away from Skye and pushed himself into the far corner of the couch. He opened the book and tried to concentrate but to say he was unnerved by her was putting it mildly. It would appear there was more to this people skills thing than Ward first thought.

***

**Fitz & Coulson**

Coulson entered the lab to get an up date from Fitz and Simmons on a joint engineering/bio-chem project they were working on. Coulson has his arms folded over his chest, head cocked to the side, frowning slightly as he listened to Fitz going over his part in the project but he was having difficulty keeping up with the genius engineer for three reasons; 1) when he’s excited his Scot’s brogue tended to become quite pronounced and he talked much quicker than normal 2) he’s speaking ‘engineer’ and 3) he’s managed to give himself the hiccups.

Eventually Coulson held up ‘The Finger of Silence’. Fitz stopped talking but the hiccups remained. The senior agent turned round and disappeared from the lab leaving Fitz and Simmons to look at each other in confusion, before returning a few minutes later with a glass of water in his hand.

“Thanks, sir..hic…but water doesn’t…hic…work with me…hic.”

“Do you trust me?” Coulson asked.

“Hic…yes” Fitz replied without hesitation.

“Then trust this will work. Put your fingers in your ears.”

“What…hic?”

“Shut up and put your fingers in your ears. Drink the water and let me know when you’ve had enough.”

Looking at Coulson as though he’s just asked him to run round the lab naked but he did as he was told. Coulson held the glass gently to his mouth tipping it towards him, not so much as to make him choke and not so little that he would gulp in air. After a couple of moments Fitz stopped drinking and Coulson removed the glass. Simmons and he watched expectantly as Fitz tentatively removed his fingers from his ears and waited. Nothing; the hiccups were gone.

“Bloody hell, sir! That’s amazing. Nothing’s ever worked before.”

“Did you just reset his diaphragm? How did you know to do that?”

He smiled at them “Grandmother Coulson was a wise and wonderful woman. So Fitz…you were saying.”

**Fitz & Ward**

Ward popped into the lab to ask FitzSimmons a question about the ‘Night Night Gun’ or I.C.E.R. as it had been re-named following its upgrade. The scientists were at the far end of the lab with their backs to Ward judging by the noise and jerking of his shoulders, Fitz had the hiccups again. Silently Ward crept up behind him and yelled “Boo!” at the top of his voice. Fitz screamed and spun round to face the agent. He began to hyperventilate and that combined with the hiccups (which were still there) stopped him from getting any air into his lungs. He looked at Simmons with a panicked look on his face while clutching his chest.

“Oh my god!” she yelled at Ward as she hurried over to Fitz. “What the hell did you do that for?”

“Nana Ward used to swear by it” he replied looking a bit panicked himself.

“Well Nana Ward was a nut job. Get out and let me calm him down.”

Ward backed away from them confused that the age old remedy hadn’t worked although now that he thought about it, it did spark a series of memories of him sobbing after having been ‘cured’ of the hiccups by Nana Ward, and for an instant he heard her evil laugh after he’d wet his pants from fright. Maybe Simmons was right, maybe Nana Ward was a bit of a nut job after all.

***

**May & Coulson**

May and Coulson were sitting together on the open ramp of the Bus side by side in companionable silence, each drinking beer from a bottle. After a while she leaned her head on his shoulder. He tilted his head over to her, his cheek touching her for a few moments then straightened his neck again. Still they said nothing; just sat enjoying the quiet of the evening. When the beer was finished they both got up without speaking – him to do a perimeter check, her to go back to the cockpit.

**May & Ward**

Ward sat down close beside her with two beers. She looked at him. He smiled at her and nodded. She punched him in the face, got up and walked away.

***

**Simmons & Coulson**

Jemma couldn’t stop talking. She had herself completely worked up about an experiment and was gesticulating wildly mentioning terms such as ‘biomimetics’ and the ‘Schmitt trigger’ and how she was having difficulty “…replicating results for an experiment involving models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving a particular complex human problem at the the macro scale and nanoscale level”. Ward was lost and had pretty much tuned out at biomimetics.

Coulson stood with his arms folded across his chest, a deep frown on his face as he tried to keep up with her. When Simmons paused for a breath he asked some questions about environmental exposure tolerance and resistance which set her off again until Coulson stepped forward, unfolded his arms, put his hands on either side of her face and looked into her eyes. Completely taken aback she faltered then stopped talking completely, blinking at him. Coulson nodded encouragingly and still holding her face asked calmly,

“What’s your next step?”

She breathed in and held it then breathed out in a sigh. She frowned, tilted her head to the side and her eyes opened wide as a thought occurred to her. Simmons grinned at him putting her hands on either side of his face copying his gesture.

“You’re a genius, Agent Coulson!” and let go of him as did he of her. She tore back to her workbench now talking about synthesizing similar products by artificial mechanisms but sounding altogether much happier.

Fitz looked at Coulson and jutted his chin in thanks at the senior agent.

“Thank you…she was doing my bloody head in!”

**Simmons & Ward**

Simmons was pacing up and down the lab muttering while Fitz sat on a stool and watched her. Ward nodded to himself; he knew exactly what to do here. He strode confidently over to her grabbed her shoulders and stared at her.

Terrified Simmons eyes nearly popped out of her head her mouth open in a huge ‘O’. Tears started to form and rolled down her cheeks.

“Oh my god! What are you doing, y’tosser!” yell Fitz running to Simmons and putting his arms round her.

“Calming her down?” Ward was less sure now. “She seemed like she was about to go a little hysterical.”

“Seriously? You wanker…she was reciting the periodic table in order of their atomic weight as a bet!”

Ward’s heart sank.

“Jemma, I’m sorry. I…”

“I think you’d better leave,” she said sniffing trying to stop the tears.

Ward nodded and left the lab completely confused about Simmons’s reaction. He’d been so sure he done what Coulson had done. Maybe it was a different kind of stare…

***

**Coulson & Ward**

“Come with me” Coulson instructed Ward not breaking stride as he walked past the bar where the specialist was sitting. Ward followed the senior agent through the lounge and up the spiral staircase to his office.

“Sit,” he commanded.

Ward frowned but did as he was told.

“There’s no easy way to say this so I’m going to be blunt.  The team have come to me at various points today and they all said the same thing…you’re creeping them out.”

Ward’s jaw dropped open. “I’m what?”

“Creeping them out” Coulson repeated.

“Who?”

“Everyone.”

“But how? When?”

“It seems to have started this week. Can you explain why they would feel this way?”

Ward was dazed.

“But it wasn’t supposed to be like this. I watched you all week; everyone you spoke to; everything you did.”

“Okay. Now you’re creeping me out.”

“No, you don’t understand. I didn’t want to be a poop with knives any more. So I thought if I watched what you do to see how you interact with people I could learn to have people skills. People like you; they talk to you; they feel comfortable with you. I was only trying to do what you do. I don’t know how it all went so wrong.”

Coulson didn’t know whether to laugh or cry so he did neither. Ward was being so sincere and looked so dejected he actually felt a rush of sympathy towards the agent. He looked at Ward his face impassive and nodded.

“So this is basically a misunderstanding?”

“Yes. Really.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to them. In the meantime, don’t…I don’t know…just try not to do anything to weird the team out anymore.”

Ward nodded miserably.

“Dismissed.”

Ward left the room and Coulson banged his forehead on the desk and groaned. Some days made him miss the Avengers Initiative more than others.

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We've had a wolf in the herd the whole time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Spoilers* for anyone who's not seen Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Episode 20: 'Nothing Personal' yet.
> 
> This chapter is likely to Jossed in a few hours in this season's finale :( or possibly in season 2 (Yay! Season 2) but for me it seems a fitting way to end the "Who's afraid of the bad ass wolf?" series.
> 
> As always, the characters belong to Marvel and the rest? The ramblings of a twisted mind. Have fun and I hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading and please feel free to leave comments - it's always good to know what you think :)

Coulson stood in his office with his arms folded across his chest and his head bowed. Theoretically he was reading the files lying open on his desk beside the StarkPad, the handgun and the I.C.E.R.; in practice he was staring at them unseeing. He was in mourning – for S.H.I.E.L.D., for his team, for himself. He sighed heavily wishing he could do something about the ache in his chest, the ache that the pain meds couldn't take away. His muscles tensed as the hair on the back of his neck rose up sensing a threat at the door. Outwardly there was no visible sign of the change to his posture so the wolf in the herd felt relatively safe…but not completely, this is Coulson after all and he knew enough to keep his Glock trained on the senior agent’s back.

“Ward.”

Ward snorted out a small, sad laugh through his nose. It was an eerie replay of the day he and Coulson had the fight in the cargo bay.

“One day you’ll have to tell me how you do that.”

“You and I both know that day’s never coming.” Coulson paused letting the sentence hang.  “Are you here to kill me?”

“I’m here to talk.”

“Like you did with FitzSimmons?”

“I’m sorry about that, Coulson. It wasn’t personal.”

“Really? You’re going with that? Fitz was the only one who still believed in you, even after Koenig. He defended you. He called you his friend.”

“I was only following orders.”

“Please,” Phil spat. “That was the song they played in Europe in the ‘40s. Oh, but Skye already pointed out to you that you’re a Nazi. So maybe that line  _is_ okay for you.”

Ward flinched at his words, at his tone. “I’m not a…” he sighed. “Hands where I can see them.”

Coulson put his hands out by his sides, palms facing outwards.

“Turn around.”

“I’m not going to do that. I don’t want to look at you.” Again there was a silence between them until Coulson spoke again. “Do you have anything else you think I might want to hear? Because if it’s more of the same, I’d rather you just shot me.”

“I don’t want to shoot you Coulson. But I have to.”

“No? Let me guess…’it’s not personal’. Right?”

Ward clicked the safety back on and lowered his gun. He had to try to make Coulson understand. He had to…

Ward was lifted off his feet and thrown against the wall as Coulson spun round, grabbing the gun from his desk in mid-turn and shot Ward dead centre in the forehead. Grim-faced, he walked over to Ward's body lying slumped on the floor and looked down at him.

“For me, Ward, it _was_ personal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you yell at me, I know the team don't have the Bus at this juncture but I couldn't think of a better place for this to take place.
> 
> I like evil Ward. I have no desire for him to be "saved" or turn out to be a triple agent - two words 'cop out'. #KeepWardEvil
> 
> I'll leave it up to you if Coulson used an I.C.E.R. or his Glock; thoughts/preferences anyone?
> 
> Hail Hydra! (only kidding!!)

**Author's Note:**

> I did intend for this to be a one off but I've had some ideas for Coulson/Ward rematches so there might be a few more chapters. Apologies to Ward fans but as Melinda May says "...there's life in the old wolf yet."


End file.
